The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-07-16
SOLEMN MOMENTS.
The Impressive Moments Following the
Signing of the Federal Constitution.

The Impressive Moments Following the
Signing of the Federal Constitution.
Finally it was decided that the Fed
eral Constitution. as now completed,
should be presented to the Continental
Congress, and then referred to special
conventions in all the States for ratifi-
cation; and that when nine States. OF
two-thirds of the whole number. should
have ratified, it should at once go into
operation as between such ratifying
States.
When the great document was at last
drafted by Gouverneur Morris. and was
all ready for the signatures. the aged
Franklin produced paper which was
read for him, as his voice was weak.
Some parts of this Constitution, he said.
he did not approve, but he was aston
ished TO find it 50 nearly perfect What
ever opinion he had of its errors he
would sac iiice to the public good. and
he hoped that every member of the con.
vention who still had objections would
on this occasion doubt a little of his own
infallibility, and for the sake of una
nimity put his name to this instrument.
Hamilton added his plea. a few MEM
bers. he said. by refusing to sign.
might do infinite mischief. No mans
ideas could be more remote from the
plan than his were known to be; but
was it possible for true patriot to de-
liberate between anarchy and convul-
sion. on the one side. aud the chance
of good to be expected from this plan,
on the otherP From these appeals, as
well as from Washington solemn
warning at the outset. we see how dis
tnctly it was realized that the country
was on the verge Of civil war. Most of
the members felt SO, but to some the
new government seemed far too strong.
and there were three who dreaded
despotism even more than anarehy.
Mason. Randolph and Gerry re-
fused to sign, though Randolph sought
to qualify his refusal by explain
ing that lie could not yet make up his
mind whether to oppose or defend the
Constitution, when it should he laid be-
fore the people of Virginia. He wished
to reserve to himself full liberty of ac-
ton in the matter. That Mason and
Gerry, valuable as their services had
been in the making of the Constitution,
would now go homie aud vigorously OPP
pose it, there was no doubt. Of the
delegates who were present on the last
day of the convention, all but these
three signed the Constitution. In
the signatures the twelve States which
had taken part IN the work were all
represented, Hamilton signing alone
for New York.
Thus after four months of anxious
toll, through the whole of a scorching
Philadelphia summer, after earnest but
sometimes bitter discussion, in which
more than once the meeting had
seemed on the point of breaking up, a
colossal work had at last been accom-
plished, the results of which were most
powerfully to effect the whole future
career of the human race SO long as it
shall dwell upon the earth. In spite Of
the high-wrought intensity of feeling
which had been now and then dis
played, grave decorum had ruled the
proceedings; and now, though few
were really satisfied, the approach to
unanimity was remarkable. When all
was over, it is said that many of the
members seemed awe-struck. Washing
ton sat with head bowed in solemn med
itation. The scene was ended by a
characteristic bit of homely pleas
antry from Franklin. Thirty three
years ago, in the days of George III,
before the first mutterings of the revo-
| luton had been heard, and when the
French Dominion in America was still
untouched, before the Punishment of
! the Acadians or the rout of Braddock,
while Washington was still surveying
lands in the wilderness, while Madison
was playing in the nursery and Ham,
ilton was not yet born, Franklin had
endeavored to bring together the thir-
teen colonies in federal union. OF
the famous Albany plan of 1854, the
| first outline of federal constitution
| for America that ever was made, he
was the principal if not the sole au-
thor. When he signed his name to
the Declaration of Independence in
this very room, his years had rounded
the full period of threeseore and ten.
Eleven years more had passed. and he
had been spared to see the noble aim of
his life accomplished. There was still,
no doubt, a chance of failure, but hope
now reigned in the old mans breast
| On the back of the Presidents quaint
black armchair there was emblazoned
half-sun, brilliant with its gilded
rays. As the meeting was breaking up
and Washington arose, Franklin
pointed to the chair and made it the
text for prophecy. GAS l have been
sitting here all these weeks" said he,
Il have often wondered whether yon-
der sun is rising or setting, But now
/ know that it is rising sunr'-Johfs
| FiSke, in atlantic.